Signaling system.



W. CHURCHILL & A. H. RUDD.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1914.

1,175,339. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

.2 SHEETSSHEET l.

W. CHURCHILL & A. H. RUDD. SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. 1914.

1,175,339. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

wily: comm 44 qgwm @gfif W al'l'ozncq "PATENT o -FIeE.

WILLIAM CHURCHILL, or eonmne, NEw'iroRx, AND ALEXANDER n. RUDD, 0E MEDIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS arc-T E rosrrronmcnr SIGNAL COMPANY, A conro- RATION OI MAINE.

sIGNALIne SYSTEM.

use to -day of transmitting intelligence and orders to trains, consists in the use of semaphore arms "ordisks by day, and colored r lights by night, each position of the arm, and each color of the lights or disks having its peculiar'si'gnification such as stop, caution, or proceed. This difierence in the method of-signaling by day and night, ne-

cessitates two. signaling apparatus for each indication to be given at each point, and necessitates, theZtrain-men remembering the signification ofeach position of the arm and each color. The semaphore arms are ob-. jectionable, in'that they are moving parts liable to get out of order, in spite of the ingenuity that has been expended on their construction. The use of difl'ere'nt colors for signaling is objectionable, in that colorindications demand an absorption of colors other than that to be transmitted, and hence a reduction in the intensity of the beam.

Wepropose to avoid all of these defects as well as others inherent in the present signaling'practice by using lights both as day and night signals, the indication being iven' by the relative position of the lights. hus the ordinary (proceed) indication will be given by 'a 'series of lights or light-emissivesurfaces arranged one above the other, while thestop-indication will be given by a series of such'surfaces arranged side by side.

The result of such an arrangement of indi--- vidual lights or light-emissive surfaces when th ir intensity is roperlyproportioned to. the atmospheric i umination and to their- 1 relative arrangement, is to produce the effeet to the eye 'of an elongated illuminated area which will be horizontal or vertical or inclined according to the arrangement or the lights. If the intens.ity of illumination of the light sources is sufliciently great, the

indication can be read at a great distance upon a. suitable back-ground which Me by preference provide, even though-thesky be Specification of Letters Patent. Patented{Man 14. 1916,

Application filed July 13, 1914. Serial No. 850,817. 7

brilliantly illuminated]. However, we have found that this illumination which is sufliciently intense for day use, may be so bril' 2 limit at'night as to obscure the indication intended to be transmitted, and instead of giving an elongated illuminated area, will, at a distance, give the efl'eet of an area more or less elliptical orcircular, and liable to be misread. We therefore preferably provide means for reducing the intensity of illumination of the several light-emissive surfaces for night signaling.

We have further provided means by which.

a signaling system such as above indicated is a apted for the severe conditions ofuse to which it must be placed, and caused with a minimum intensity of light to give a maximum efiieiency at the points needed, and by which phantom signals will, at the same time be prevented.

by corresponding marks of. reference. Fig'- ure '1 is a front elevation of a signal casing,

constructed in accordance with this inven: tion; Fig. 2 1s a corresponding view of a modified form of easing; Fig. 3 is a fragmental vertical section taken on either Figs.

1 or 2, showing the relative location of the sis.

either of a substantially circular box.-or of a cross frame having arms corresponding to the position which it is intended that the signaling indications should have, as is shown, respectively, in Figs. 1 and 2. In

the first case, namely that'shown' in Fig. 1,

the face of the casing A is provided with one or more series of'rows'of light-emissive sources 1, 1, which are in the form of lenses, according -'to the number of indications which are tobe given. The figure represents a signal having the stop (horizontal), proceed" (vertical), and caution (diagonal upper quadrant) indication, all of the lens rows intersecting at a common point which,

. 75 I Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated from any light in their rear, except that,

from the lamps of the row in which they belong.

In Fig. 2, instead of the casing previously described, the casing takes the form of cross frames having three arms A, having the horizontal, vertical and upper quadrant positions, respectively, each of'which carries a row of lenses illuminated as before. It is obvious that many modifications can be made of the relative location of the angular position of the rows of lenses, and of their relative position to each other, and of their number, and that the number of indications is not restricted to the three. names .or to associations given. In. either case, the frame is, preferably painted black; and affords a back-ground against whichthe light indication is seen. This invention, however,

not in any way limited to the form of cas-' ing or casings for the light sources and the above descriptions have been given merely f as embodying practical embodiments of it.

The conditions to be met in signaling by day and night by the illuminated field produced as above described are somewhat peculiar, and therefore we have found it advantageous touse the arrangement of lenses, and light sources shown in Fig. 3. In this figure, the lens 1 is of an inverted type and is vprotected by the cover-glass 3, the lens itself being, by preference of the-type which has its anterior face formed by a series of zones and having its zones on its horizontal section, and on its upper part or'quadrant struck with curves of less radii than on its lower part or quadrant, whereby its maximum'of divergence is from its lower quadrant downwardly. It is, of course, necessary to provide a downward divergence in order that the beams projected by the lenses be visible, not only at a distance, but closeup under the signal. To provide for visibility, both at a distance from, and when close to the signal, .we also provide a spherical reflector 4 which is located above the source of illumination, it being, by preference, so calculated, and so located that all of the light rays reflected therefrom on passing through the lens are deflected downwardly at more or less of an angle to the horizontal, the anglal being, by preference as great as pos- S1 G0 I The relative arrangement of the lamps 5 and lens is an installation which we have found satisfactory such that the upper divergence of the rays are practically zero; that the side divergence is about five degrees on each side of the principal axis of the lens; that the downward divergence due to lights falling directly on the rear surface of the lens from the source of light is about seventeen degrees, while the light reflected from the light source by the reflector passes through the lens in such direction that it is projected downwardly at an angle of between seventeen and forty-six degrees to the principal focal axis of the lens, this providing for indications to train-men close under I the signal.

The source of illumination used is, by preference an incandescent electric lamp having a filament 5 which is in the form of a spiral to produce the maximum illumination for a given length, and which, by preference has its filament arranged horizontally so that such divergence as may. arise from the illumination not being localized at the principal focus of the lens will be a horizontal divergence. Inasmuch as the conditions demand for a proper vertical divergence'a close adjustment of the lamp vertically, we

prefer to mount lamps on vertically adjustable mountings, such for instance as those shown in Fig. 5. In this figure, the lamp has upon its base, the metallic collar6, having diametrical pins 7 adapted to enter vertical slots 8 cut-in a spring sleeve 9, in which sleeve the lamp may be adjusted vertically by sliding it up and down until a given distance is obtained between the filament of the lamp and pins 10 projecting from the outside of the sleeve. Such sleeve may be then inserted in the base 11 provided with the bayonet slot 11, by which the lampwill be positioned, and which will firmly clamp the sleeve upon the lamp collar. This provides a convenient means for overcoming irregularities of elevation in the sealing in of the filaments. We further prefer to use yellow glass of the character "known to the trade as Noglare, as the material for the cover glass. Asis well known this glass cuts down the blue and violet rays from the light source, and we have found its use markedly advantageous in rendering the position indications more distinct, by preventing the loss of direction of the rows of light source, and this without materially reducing the visible intensity of the signaling lights in the day 50 illuminations necessary to day and night emissive source may under certain conditions merge into one circular body of illumination when viewed from a distance at night, while if reduced to the figures last given,'the field of illumination appears as an elongated bar.

signal casing are connected on their one side to a conductor 12, and all the lamps of each row, except the common lamp, have their opposite sides connected to independent wires 13, 13" and 13, respectively, while the common lamp has its other terminal con- I nected'to-the wire 13. The wires 13*,13

andl3 are connected to one terminal of a variable potential source14z by means of switches 15' and \16, while the wire 13 from, the common light, may be directly connected tothe same terminal of the source. From the sourcetcurrent flows through the com- "mon lamp wire 13, and-the wires 13 ,13", and13, respectively, through the lamps and the common .feed wire 12 back to battery preferably by an alternative circuit to be ereinafter described. The switches 15 and e 16 may be either manually controlled byan trol-circuit21whichinturn may be conoperator in a signallng-tower, ormaybe relay-contacts,,as shown, controlled by a con trolled hyftrack'circuits. In the arrangement shown, the circuit 21 is .jcontrolledby blocks of the track, and contains the magnet lays are standard pieces of signal constructlon, and peed no elaboration here The mam lighting circuit, that 1s to say, the circuit'to which the wire-12, 13, 13", 13

and '135 are connected, is, by preference, adapted to be fed by currents of difierent potentials;v to provide for the diflt'erences in signaling, and it is-Iobvious that the "lamps of a plurality of Sign l ng located'at nated, and means for 'varyin'g the potential difierent points along the way may be fed from a common source of variable potential,- and the potential supplied to the lamps of such signtls may be varied simultaneouslyv by a variation-in the potential of the source.

6:6 This may be conveniently accomplished by" providing a relay 17 in a controlcircuit 18 adapted to actuate a switch 19 connect \d' with the common feed 12,and to throw'it to to which the wires 13, 13 and 13 are con nected, and the other of which is connected to an intermediate point at that battery.

Thus, in the installation before described,

we made use of a total battery voltage of'll volts for day-light signaling, and of three each signal station and be controlled from a central station, or by an 'operatorat each signal when it is desired to shift the voltage. With the arrangement of the lamps and lenses above indicated, all of the lamps of a It is obvious, however, that in lieu of using a battery any convement variable source or sources maybe employed, and that the light- -wiring for each signal may be connected,

volts for night-signaling The switch 19 guished or lighted on" each change of the signaling providing an additional lightemissive' point in any row of lights that may be used. This is an advantage in reducing the amount. ofcurrent to be controlled by the circuit-controlling relays which are necessarily of delicate construction liable to be damaged upon the passage of excessive current. Each cover glass is by preference .-protected by a hood 23 toprotect' it from' light from the sky.

Having "thus described our invention vwhat ,we claim .and -'desire. to secure by vLcitztersl?atent is 2- y; 1. "In a'js'ystem of-lights ignaling forday v and night, the combination withaa plurality two track magnets 21. and-'21 m-difierent of .light-emissive surfaces arranged in a means for varyin'g' 'the illumination of such surfaces day andnightg- I i 2. In a signaling system, the combination with emissive surfaces arranged in-a pluralityof rows, 'andjlocated atf'ea'ch signal point, of an electric lampl behind each emissive surface, an. electric circuit supplying current to the. lamps of the several .120 signaling, the combinationwith a plurality-- of light-emissive surfaces arranged in rows according to the indication to be given, of

means-for selecting the row of surfaces to be illuminated, and a dark back-ground day-signaling. v

4. In a v signaling. system for day and vnight signalingythe combination with -a locatedbehind-.the'surfacesagainst which 7 --they are contrasted when illuminated for the. one or the other of t'wo contact points 20, 20, one of which is connected to the opposite pole of the batteryl, from the ole 105 row according 'toith e indication .to be given, means for illummating such (surfaces, and

plurality of light units arranged in rows according to the indications to be given, and suitably spaced from each other, each unit including a lamp and a lens, and means for varying the intensity oat illumination of the units in a selected row as a whole, in

accordance with atmospheric conditions, to

cause the units of such row to appear as a single elongated illuminated area.

5. In a signaling system for day and night signaling, the combination with a plural'ty of ligll t'units arranged in rows according to the indications to be given, and suitably spaced from each other, each unit including a lamp and a lens, and a cover glass transmitting lightsubstantially free from blue-and violet rays.

6.'In a signaling system for day and night. signaling, the combination with a plurality of light units arranged in rows according to the indications to be 'given, each unit including a lamp and a lens, of a dark back-ground behind the units, the

lenses being of such size and so spaced and the lamps being of such intensity as to cause the units of a row when illuminated by their lamps to appear as an elongated illuminated area against the back-ground, and means for varying the intensity of the lamps-in any row in accordance with atmospheric illumination to cause the units thereofto appear as an elongated illuminated area.

7. In a light-signaling system, the combination witha plurality of light-emissive surfaces arranged 1n rows, one of such emissive surfacesbemg common to two or more rows, lamps for illuminating such surfaces, and means for constantly feeding current to the common lamp, and means for selecting the other lamps in such rows as required.

8. In a light-signaling system, the com- 'bination with a plurality of light-emissive surfaces arranged in a row according to the indication to be given, and means for cutting down the blue and'violet rays from such light surfaces. a

9. In a light-signaling system, the combinaticn with a plurality of surfaces arranged in rows according to the indication to be given, and emitting light substantially free from blue and-violet rays.

10. In a light-signaling system for day WILLIAM CHURCHILL.

ALEXANDER H. RUDD. v Witnesses to the signature of William Churchill:

' G. Wmus DRAKE,

Faun-C. Gammon. 'Witnesses to the signature of Alexander H. Rudd:

' W. P. ALLEN, C. E. Gomes. 

